A Port Hueneme man was taken into custody in Lompoc on Saturday afternoon in connection with an investigation into sexual assaults five days earlier in Isla Vista.
Just before 4 p.m. Saturday, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Michael Angelo Auclair, 30, at Ocean Avenue and A Street in Lompoc, sheriff’s spokeswoman Raquel Zick said.
Detectives suspect that Auclair committed a series of crimes on Monday in Isla Vista.
Shortly after 5 p.m. Monday, authorities received a report of an indecent exposure incident followed by similiar reports on the west side of Isla Vista.
At 7:05 p.m., near Camino Del Sur and Sueno Road, the suspect approached a victim, fondled her breast while covering her mouth and then fled in a vehicle.
At 8:30 p.m., UCSB Police received a separate report of an additional nonconsensual fondling that occurred in the vicinity of West Campus Family Housing.
Deputies searched the area for the suspect, who had been described as a college-age male with dark hair associated with a tan-colored 1990s model Toyota Camry or possibly a 1990s Honda.
A County Air Support helicopter and a sheriff’s K-9 unit responded to assist with the search, but the suspect remained elusive.
On Saturday, Zick said home-security video helped detectives identify the suspect.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public and our community partners for their assistance with this case. This investigation was moved forward with the help of members of the public who came forward with information, including home security video that captured the suspect in his vehicle,” Zick said.
Auclair is a listed on the California Megan’s Law registery for sex offenders after a 2018 indecent exposure. That incident apparently occurred in Santa Barbara County and initially involved two misdemeanor charges for indecent exposure and annoying a child, according to Santa Barbara County Superior Court records.
Auclair was arrested without incident and was expected to be booked into the Main Jail later Saturday on a warrant for felony sexual battery and felony indecent exposure with bail set at $1 million.
The investigation is ongoing, and detectives continue to encourage anyone with information about the cases to call 805.681.4150. To remain anonymous, call the tip line at 805.681.4171 or go online by clicking here.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.